Baltimore held out hope that Pitta -- in a contract year -- might play again in 2013, placing him on short-term injured reserve back in September. A late November return has long been mentioned as a possible target after he began working out regularly last month.

Still alive in the wild-card picture at 4-6, Baltimore and quarterback Joe Flacco could use Pitta's playmaking ability in an offense bereft of reliable targets outside of deep threat Torrey Smith. The tight end position has been a black hole this season for the Ravens, with the ancient Dallas Clark nothing more than a patch after the much-ballyhooed Ed Dickson failed to deliver as a pass-catcher.